The Caretaker
by Angelina258
Summary: Every one has a relationship to one another.. The story is about such a different relationship between a student and the person he loathes, when the person is not even alive..


The Caretaker

I remember it as if it had only happened with me yesterday. That day my father had to go to work earlier than he usually did, so he dropped me off at school an hour before the starting time. Obviously no one had arrived yet; except the sweepers and the lunch lady who was busy assembling the food items on the canteen shelves. I sat on the nearest bench and started counting my Pokemon Cards, as there was nothing else to do. Soon I got extremely bored. Putting my cards back into my bag I stood up and started walking towards my classroom but then stopped in my tracks…..an idea had just flashed through my mind.

There I was, practically alone in the school, no teacher around and most importantly no horrendous caretaker to shout at me every time he saw me. I was free to go anywhere I wanted: the Principal's office, the restricted section in the library or the seniors' basketball court where the juniors weren't allowed to go as "they were careless and could violate the imported sports' goods", quoting the extremely hated caretaker of our school.

Excitement filled my body as I walked towards the basketball court thinking about the "wonders" hidden inside but to my utter disappointment I found nothing so special about it once I had seen it. It was just an abnormally enlarged version of the juniors' basketball court. Frustrated by the failure of my first plan I put my second plan in action…I walked towards the library. When I reached my next destination I was let down yet again. Unfortunately, the library was locked.

Turning away from the library door I started to walk towards my classroom again. I don't know why but I just did not want to go to the principal's office now. But on my way I came across the caretaker's private room and yet again I had this wonderful brainwave. No one was allowed to go in this room too because the owner: the intolerable caretaker, Mr. Flick was an 'excruciating pain in the neck' who would start gnashing his teeth at the very sight of you as he hated almost each and every student. He popped up at every place where the students' seemed to have broken a school rule. He was continuously roaming around the school in his long grey coat and worn out black jeans with a walking stick in his hands finding someone to punish. He called students names like 'midgets', 'riots' and 'careless idiots' and poked them with his stick whenever they passed by him. If you were in his bad books he would come down like a ton of bricks on you and follow you every where you went, the moment you did something wrong unintentionally(or intentionally) he would make a huge issue out of the mistake taking you to the teachers and sometimes even the head office. Unluckily, Cam (my best friend) and I happened to be the students he loathed the most because we had accidentally spilled ice-cold Coke on his pet cat – as unbearable and disgusting as he was- and that had been the biggest mistake of our lives. After that day he would take us to the teachers for no reason at all and confiscate our Pokemon Cards which he threw away somewhere in his private room and that is about what my new idea was. Today I just could not lose this great opportunity of revenge! Revenge for all those times he had gotten us punished by the principal in front of the whole school, for the humiliation he had caused us and the numerous detention slips he had given us. I could go inside and damage his beloved room and also poison his "adorable" cat and get back all my Pokemon Cards he had locked up inside. And then I would laugh with Cam at his horror-struck face when he found out about his room, oh my God he would be beside himself.

With this new thought I opened the huge oak door in front of me which, unlike the library wasn't locked. An odd smell filled my nostrils the moment I opened the door as if warning me not to step in; but, ignoring it I went inside. His room was as dull and shabby as he was. It seemed as I had entered the set of an old movie: every thing was black, gray and white except a coloured photograph of a woman and a beautiful girl of about my age on the black, battered old desk. Huge stacks of white envelopes were lying on the shelves and his cat was still sleeping in her cage. On the corner was a gray cupboard on which was a placard which read 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous'. First I let out a snort thinking of what could be "highly dangerous", then I went to the cupboard and opened it. There on the lowest shelf were my cards and Cam's Beyblade. Quickly I sat down on my knees and started stuffing our possessions in my bag and then …..

"Take everything, my son...return them to their rightful owners because I won't be able to do that now."

I froze. Fear and tension flooded my body as I silently stood up, my hand tightening around my bag. Questions running around my mind, my heart pounding in my chest I turned around to see the source of the voice. My hearts gaped up to my throat and my hands let go of my bag which fell down on the floor as I saw directly in the eyes of Mr. Flick who, to my utter amazement was smiling at me. Without another word he signaled me to sit on the chair lying in front of him. Without my permission my feet led me towards the chair and I sat down.

He silently knelt down in front of me and asked, "You hate me son, don't you? I have been rude and bad with all students. Everyone detests me. I have been terrible to you all, haven't I?"

I wanted to say yes. Scream it on his face but what came out of my mouth was," No Sir….. I don't think so!"

"Ah my child, don't lie to me. I know my mistakes and I regret them. No one will forgive me. I failed to be a good person, a good friend, a good father and also a good husband. I shouted at my wife and slapped my daughter…oh how she cried! Never did I give happiness to anyone. I have been so dreadful and I hope I had realized it at that time." sobbed in his hands as I sat there stunned trying to figure out the reason of his grief. A family problem was the only reasonable conclusion I could make out of his miserable state. Feeling pity for the person I hated the most I tried to console him. "But you can always change, sir. Change and mend your mistakes. My mother says that if you really try hard to achieve something that you truly want, you always get it one day. So if you really want to change you can. Its not too late you know."

He looked at me with his tearful eyes, gave a queer smile and hugged me.

"But it is late my child it is, very late indeed. Even if I want to I can't change what I have already done, I will never be able to forgive myself or repent for my mistakes. It's just too late." he sobbed into my collar. Lost for words I hugged him back, what else could I do...?

Pulling back – after what seemed like hours - Mr. Flick wiped his tears on his sleeve and said," I think its time for you to leave, come back anytime you want to collect your things. Also forgive me if you can."

Without wasting a second, I rose from the chair, walked hastily out of the room. It felt as if I had forgotten something inside…..yes, my bag. Opening the door once again I stepped into the room. I looked around…..the caretaker was nowhere to be seen. I was horror-struck. Where had he vanished to..? I had not seen him come out. Not wanting to think about this unexpected morning I assured myself that he had gone to the bathroom. Speedily I ran forward grabbed my bag pack and ran out of the room all the way to the assembly hall.

The commotion told me that the assembly was over and the students were busy going back to their classes. I spotted Cam and walked towards him.

"Any announcements..? Plus I have to tell you something unbelievable." I said.

"Where were you Alan? And yes the caretaker died last night in a car accident last night. His family was with him…..they had a fight told the wife, who has broken an arm and the car smashed into some truck. Daughter was injured too but is better now. Anyway did you see Ben10 last night..? They introduced a new alien. By the way what did you want to tell me..?"

"Nothing..." was all that I could say…


End file.
